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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rock — music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. vault — a safe
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bass — low music
  18. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com